Koh Tao we love you..

We are enamoured with Koh Tao! We found the first few days difficult, attempting to adjust to the immense heat and humidity, and also a touch of home sickness. That serves us right for inheriting amazing families and having incredible friends!

Our first few days we spent in Mae Haad, we had Thai massages and generally lazed around. Then we were drawn to Sairee village, much more vibrant and populated with restaurants literally on the beach.

Koh Tao is renowned for it's beautiful coral reefs and tropical fish, nearly everyone heads out to dive. We met a group of divers who had just finished their open water course and they had become great friends in the process. Although I was slightly terrified, being a less than average swimmer, we decided that the masses could not be wrong and enrolled in a course that begun the very next day!

Ban's diving certifies more divers than anywhere else in the world, and Koh Tao is the cheapest place to do it! With free accommodation during the course it's a sweet deal. The first two days are theory with a practical lesson in the dive pool to get you comfortable with the gear.

Day three brought the last theory session followed by the final exam. That afternoon we ventured out on the dive boat for our first open water dive. I was so nervous and anxious, fumbling around trying to remember how to put all the equipment together. But with a line of people behind us waiting to get in we just had to get over it... Decked out in full scuba gear, one hand on our weight belts and the other hand holding on to our mask and regulator we step off the boat and jump into the ocean.

Taking the first few breaths under water is the best feeling, gliding through the water like you're just another fishy! We saw clown fish (nemo!), trigger fish, banner fish, blue spotted string rays, eels, barracuda and not to mention the beautiful coral and anemones. Our highlight had to be seeing a turtle swimming around with us! It's another world down there, like God sneakretly created this under water world so differently to everything on land. So stoked on it!!

Thanks Koh Tao for one of the best experiences ever!

Love, Jaz